UMass Drops MAC Opener
The Minutemen lost its MAC opener to Kent State on Saturday.
UMass dropped its Mid-American Conference opener Saturday afternoon, falling 69-59 to Kent State at the Mullins Center.
The turning point came midway through the second half after the Minutemen had chipped away at a double-digit deficit. UMass pulled within two on multiple possessions, but Kent State answered with a three-point play and followed it with timely trips to the free-throw line, reestablishing control and pushing the margin back to two possessions for good.
After the game, UMass head coach Frank Martin pointed to the physical nature of the matchup as the defining factor.
“We did not handle the physicality of the game,” Martin said. “Their big guy had more rebounds than our front line all put together.”
The loss dropped UMass to 8-4 overall and 0-1 in league play, while Kent State improved to 10-2 and opened conference action 1-0.
Rebounding ultimately defined the outcome.
Kent State controlled the glass throughout the afternoon, limiting UMass to one shot on extended possessions and generating second-chance opportunities. Delrecco Gillespie led that effort with 20 rebounds to go along with 18 points, while Quinn Woidke scored 19 off the bench and Rob Whaley Jr. added 10, including the momentum-shifting three-point play during the Golden Flashes’ late run.
Martin credited Kent State’s defensive approach for disrupting UMass’ perimeter scoring.
“Their defense was designed to not allow us to score from the perimeter,” he said. “So we had to score inside, and we didn’t get a very good game from our inside guys.”
UMass trailed by 11 at halftime but showed improved energy coming out of the break. A K’Jei Parker three sparked a run that brought the Minutemen back within striking distance, and Marcus Banks Jr. later knocked down a three to make it a two-point game with under seven minutes remaining.
Each push was met with a response, however, as Kent State either finished at the rim or drew fouls to steady the game.
Martin said the Minutemen briefly found themselves in position to flip the game before execution faltered.
“We had it in a one, two-point game, and we didn’t close out the game,” he said.
Leonardo Bettiol led UMass with 14 points, while Daniel Hankins-Sanford recorded a double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds. Despite the effort, Martin said efficiency and toughness at the rim were missing.
“You can’t shoot 30 percent from the field and expect to win a game,” he said. “The physicality of the game, we didn’t handle that very well.”
The early deficit proved costly.
Kent State closed the first half with five made three-pointers, using that stretch to build a 35-24 lead at the break and forcing UMass to play from behind for much of the afternoon.
UMass will look to respond Monday, Dec. 22, when it hosts UMass Boston at the Mullins Center in Amherst, Mass., with tipoff scheduled for noon.
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